Soft Focus Shooting With Fuji: A Guide

Soft focus photography is a great way to capture dreamy, ethereal images that are perfect for portraits or creative shots. To achieve a soft focus look with your Fuji camera, you'll want to experiment with different settings and techniques. Start by playing with the aperture settings, as a wider aperture will help to create a softer look. You can also try using manual focus mode and adjusting the focus ring to slightly blur your subject. Utilizing back-button focusing can give you more control over when your camera focuses, allowing you to lock focus and recompose your shot without refocusing. Additionally, consider using a slower shutter speed to introduce a slight blur due to motion, or try shooting with a longer focal length to compress the background and create a softer backdrop. By adjusting these settings and familiarizing yourself with your Fuji camera, you'll be able to master the art of soft focus photography and capture stunning, atmospheric images.

Using autofocus to shoot street photography

Autofocus Modes

There are several autofocus modes available on most cameras that can be used for street photography. The best mode for you will depend on your specific camera model and your personal preferences. Here are some common autofocus modes and how they can be used for street photography:

• Single Shot Autofocus (AF-S): This mode is easy to use and is suitable for stationary subjects. The camera focuses on a subject and locks onto it as long as you half-press the shutter button or use back-button focus.
• Continuous Autofocus (AF-C): This mode is ideal for moving subjects. It continuously adjusts the focus as long as you keep the shutter button half-pressed or your finger on the back button. This mode is excellent for capturing sharp images of people walking towards you or away from you.
• Hybrid Mode (AF-A): This mode automatically switches between Single Shot and Continuous Autofocus depending on whether the subject is stationary or moving. It is designed for beginners and can be useful for street photography due to the unpredictable nature of subjects.
• Lock-on AF (AF-C): This mode is perfect for capturing fast-moving subjects, such as running people, people on bikes, or cars. It locks focus on the subject and tracks it, no matter where they move in the frame.

Focus Area

In addition to choosing the right autofocus mode, selecting the appropriate focus area is crucial for street photography. Here are some common focus areas and how they can be utilised:

• Wide Focus Area : This mode activates all the focus points, allowing the camera to choose a sufficient number to focus on the scene or subject. It is reliable for street photography, especially when combined with Continuous Autofocus.
• Large Zone AF (Horizontal/Vertical) : This mode functions like the Wide focus area but with a smaller area in the centre, providing more focus and precision. It can be useful for capturing a group of people in a specific portion of the frame.
• Expand Flexible Spot Area : This mode uses additional points around the flexible spot for improved accuracy. It is beneficial in low-light conditions or areas with less contrast, where the camera may struggle to focus.
• Face/Eye Detection AF : This mode locks focus on the subject's eye and tracks it as they move. It is excellent for street portrait photography or when shooting up close.

Back Button Focus

Back Button Focus is a useful feature that allows you to assign autofocus to a dedicated button, usually the AF-On button. This enables you to focus on stationary subjects, recompose your image, and then release the button to capture the shot. For moving subjects, you can keep your finger on the AF-On button to continuously acquire focus before firing the shutter.

Other Considerations

When using autofocus for street photography, there are a few other things to keep in mind:

• Contrast : Cameras generally focus better when the focus point has some contrast. For silhouette shots, move the focus point to the edge of the silhouette to ensure the camera locks onto the focus.
• Shutter Speed : A fast shutter speed is essential to prevent camera shake and motion blur. Aim for a shutter speed of 1/125s or faster for street photography.
• Aperture : Using a narrow aperture (higher f-stop number) provides more depth of field, resulting in greater sharpness throughout the scene. An aperture of f/8 is a good starting point for street photography.
• ISO : A higher ISO brightens the scene but also introduces noise. For street photography, an ISO of 200-800 is a good starting point, depending on lighting conditions.

In conclusion, utilising autofocus modes, focus areas, and other camera settings can greatly improve your street photography. Experiment with the different autofocus options and find the ones that work best for your style and camera model.

Manual focus mode

To shoot soft focus with your Fuji camera, you can make use of its Manual Focus (Focus Mode M) capabilities. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do this:

• Slide the focus mode selector to 'M' on your Fuji camera. This will activate Manual Focus Mode.
• Use the focus ring to manually focus on your subject. You can rotate the ring to the left to reduce the focus distance or to the right to increase it.
• If you want to reverse the direction of rotation for the focus ring, you can do so by using the "FOCUS RING" option in the setup menu.
• Note that when the lens is in manual focus mode, manual focus will be used regardless of the option selected.
• To quickly focus on a chosen subject, you can use autofocus in conjunction with Manual Focus Mode. Press the AF-L button to activate autofocus. The size of the focus area can be adjusted using the rear command dial.
• The AUTOFOCUS SETTING > INSTANT AF SETTING option in the shooting menu allows you to control how the camera focuses when the AF-L button is pressed. Select AF-S for single autofocus, where the focus is adjusted each time the button is pressed, or AF-C for continuous autofocus, where the focus is adjusted continuously while the button is pressed.
• To check your focus in manual focus mode, you can utilise the Manual Focus Indicator. The white line indicates the distance to the subject in the focus area (in meters or feet, depending on your settings), while the blue bar represents the depth of field, showing the distance in front of and behind the subject that appears to be in focus.
• For precise focus, you can zoom in on the current focus area by pressing the centre of the rear command dial. Press it again to cancel the zoom.
• When using the LCD monitor or electronic viewfinder in manual focus mode, the MF ASSIST option in the shooting menu can be utilised to check your focus.
• To display the MF ASSIST menu, press and hold the centre of the rear command dial. This menu offers several Manual Focus Assist modes:

• FOCUS PEAK HIGHLIGHT: This mode highlights high-contrast outlines. Rotate the focus ring until your desired subject is highlighted.
• DIGITAL SPLIT IMAGE: This mode displays a split, black-and-white image in the centre of the frame. Frame your subject within the split-image area and rotate the focus ring until the three parts of the split image are correctly aligned.
• Additional modes, such as Digital Microprism, may be available depending on your Fuji camera model.

By following these steps and utilising the Manual Focus Mode capabilities of your Fuji camera, you can effectively shoot soft focus images with precise control over your desired areas of focus.

Instant autofocus

Method A: Using Function Buttons

This method involves programming a function button to activate autofocus and removing AF-On from the shutter release button. Both of these actions are performed in the custom function menu. To return to normal operation, half-press the shutter release button, and ensure to set AF-C as the focusing mode. With this method, you can use autofocus with all of the focusing point modes: single, zone, and wide/tracking.

Method B: Using Manual Focus Mode

The second way to set up instant autofocus on your Fujifilm camera is to turn on the camera's instant AF feature. This method operates in manual focus mode, giving you instant autofocus when you press the AF-L button, also known as back-button focusing. With this setup, you can press the shutter release button without initiating autofocus and use the AF-L button to focus separately.

Autofocus settings

To shoot soft focus with a Fuji camera, you'll need to adjust your autofocus settings. Here are some detailed instructions on how to do this:

Firstly, you need to understand the different autofocus modes available on your Fuji camera. The two primary autofocus modes are Single AF (AF-S) and Continuous AF (AF-C). In AF-S mode, the focus locks when the shutter button is pressed halfway down, and this mode is suitable for stationary subjects. On the other hand, AF-C mode continuously adjusts the focus based on the changing distance to the subject while the shutter button is pressed halfway, making it ideal for capturing moving subjects.

To select the autofocus mode, you can use the focus mode selector on your Fuji camera and switch it to either S or C (Focus Mode). Additionally, you can choose the AF mode by going into the shooting menu and selecting AF/MF SETTING > AF MODE. Here, you can cycle through the available AF modes using the rear command dial in the focus-point selection display.

Now, let's delve into the specifics of each autofocus mode:

Single AF (AF-S):

• AF-S is suitable for stationary subjects where you want to lock the focus.
• It is useful when you want to focus on a specific point and recompose your shot without changing the focus.
• In AF-S mode, the camera focuses on the subject within the selected focus point. You can use this for precise, pin-point focusing.
• You can also choose the size of the focus frame in AF-S mode, allowing for greater accuracy, especially when working with a shallow depth of field.

Continuous AF (AF-C):

• AF-C is ideal for capturing moving subjects as it continuously adjusts the focus while you hold the shutter button halfway down.
• This mode is beneficial when shooting subjects walking towards you or away from you, ensuring the focus stays sharp even as the distance changes.
• AF-C is also useful in situations where you don't need to refocus between frames, such as landscapes or sports photography.
• When using AF-C, you can select a focus zone that includes multiple focus points (5 x 3, 5 x 5, or 3 x 3). This makes it easier to track subjects in motion and maintain focus.

Additionally, there are a few other autofocus settings worth mentioning:

Manual Focus (MF):

• In manual focus mode, you can adjust the focus manually using the lens focus ring.
• MF gives you complete control over the focus and is useful in situations where the camera struggles to focus automatically.
• You can combine manual focus with autofocus by using back-button focusing. This allows you to initiate autofocus with a button on the rear of the camera while keeping the shutter release button solely for capturing the image.

Instant AF:

• Instant AF is a feature available in manual focus mode that provides instant autofocus when you press the AF-L button.
• This setting can be useful when you want to quickly switch between manual focus and autofocus without changing your lens settings.

Intelligent Face Detection:

• Intelligent Face Detection automatically sets the focus and exposure for human faces in the frame.
• It ensures that the camera prioritizes focusing on the subject's face rather than the background, making it ideal for portrait photography.
• You can also choose whether the camera detects and focuses on the subject's eyes within the face detection feature.

By understanding and utilizing these autofocus settings on your Fuji camera, you can effectively capture soft focus images, whether you're photographing stationary objects, moving subjects, or portraits.

Focus mode selector

The focus mode selector is used to choose how the camera focuses. To shoot with soft focus on a Fuji camera, you will need to adjust the focus mode selector to the appropriate setting.

The focus mode selector typically has three settings: Single AF (S), Continuous AF (C), and Manual (M). Single AF is suitable for stationary subjects, as the focus locks when the shutter button is pressed halfway. Continuous AF, on the other hand, is designed for subjects in motion. It continually adjusts the focus to reflect changes in the distance to the subject while the shutter button is pressed halfway. The Manual setting allows for manual focus control using the lens focus ring. This option is useful when the camera struggles to focus using autofocus or when you want to create deliberately out-of-focus shots.

To achieve a soft focus effect, you would typically use the Manual setting. This allows you to have more control over the focus and create the desired soft focus look. To enter Manual Focus mode on a Fuji camera, slide the focus mode selector to the 'M' position. Once in Manual Focus mode, you can adjust the focus manually using the focus ring. Rotating the ring to the left reduces the focus distance, while rotating it to the right increases the distance.

It is worth noting that regardless of the focus mode selected, manual focus will be utilised when the lens is set to manual focus mode. Additionally, the autofocus feature can still be used in manual focus mode by pressing the AF-L button to focus on the subject in the selected focus area.

Frequently asked questions